Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans PSL Tips: Lahore strong defending a target

• Qalandars favourites

• Fakhar has good record

• Rizwan boosted to 5/2

Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans
Wednesday 15 March, 04:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

Lahore have played fast and loose with rhythm with their play-off place secured. They turned in two dreadful performances against Zalmi and Quetta which give cause for concern. Rashid Khan could be a doubt with concussion so Liam Dawson stands by. Shaheen Afridi was rested last time and returns.

Possible XI: Shafique, Fakhar, Ghulam, Billings, Raza, Wiese, Talat, Rashid, Afridi, Rauf, Zaman

Multan have managed to hold on to David Miller. They might just do the same for Rilee Rossouw for the rest of the play-offs, too with South Africa unlikely to demand he attends training before the T20 series versus West Indies.

Usman Khan's blistering century against Quetta has suddenly given them a new dimension. He smashed a 35-ball ton to obliterate the record for fastest century.

Possible XI: Usman Khan, Rizwan, Rossouw, Miller, Pollard, David, Anwar Ali, Usama, Abbas, Ilyas, Ihsanullah

Pitch report

Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium is good for batting. There have been two scores of 200 or more, one of more than 190 and one of more than 180 in five. Sultans score quicker than Lahore (9.6 rpo versus 8.9) but the hosts are far more economical with the ball (7.9 v 8.8). Sultans will do well for 175 if they bat first and we have Lahore in for just shy of 170. Factor those in for the par line. Sportsbook go 7/5 that both teams make 180.

How to play

Lahore are the correct favourites at 1.814/5. They have already beaten Sultans twice, the last ocassion being something of a masterclass at this venue.

There is a toss bias for the team batting first, atlhough that may have more to do with scoreboard pressure. Expect Lahore to advance to the final if they get the toss in their favour with Sultans demoted to a play-off.

Tops value

Fakhar Zaman has a good record against these individual Multan bowlers. he averages 45 against them. Sportsbook have boosted him to 11/4 for top Lahore bat. For Sultans, Rizwan is upped to 5/2 and he boasts the best record of his team-mates with a mark of 37.8. Usman is 7/2 for a repeat of his heroics but we'd be more inclined to short his runs given the quality of attack he is facing here.